DES MOINES - The Kennedy girls soccer team did not panic after losing its last three games of the regular season to three ranked opponents.

The Cougars kept their cool, kept working hard and kept having fun.

Now the fun-loving Cougars have reached the semifinals of the Class 3A state tournament after booting second-ranked Bettendorf, 3-1, in the opening round Thursday at the Cownie Soccer Park in Des Moines.

Kennedy (14-6) will face No.6 Waukee (17-3) in the semifinals Friday at 5 p.m. on Field 6.

Facing ranked teams is nothing new for these Cougars, who have seen a steady diet of top-10 clubs the past few weeks. Kennedy lost to No.3 West Des Moines Valley, No.5 Johnston and No.4 Dubuque Hempstead to finish the regular season, but they turned things around by stunning No.1 Linn-Mar in the regional finals to reach the state meet.

Now the Cougars have defeated No.1 Linn-Mar and No.2 Bettendorf in consecutive games heading into Friday's contest with Waukee.

"We gained a lot of confidence from beating Linn-Mar. That's the game we wanted," said sophomore Carly Langhurst, who scored Kennedy's first goal Thursday on a header.

"We were the underdogs coming into the state tournament, but we knew we could do it. After beating Linn-Mar we know we can take it all the way."

Kennedy was ranked No.2 in the preseason poll and spent four weeks in the top 10, but they hit a few bumps in the road - including a coaching change in midseason - and disappeared from the rankings for the last four weeks of the season.

The Cougars looked like a quality club Thursday when they scored three straight goals in the second half to grab a 3-0 lead and dominated the second-ranked Bulldogs.

Langhurst used her head to give Kennedy a 1-0 lead on a corner kick from Annie Feltes. Dickerman made it 2-0 less than two minutes later and Alissa Waterhouse gave the Cougars a 3-0 bulge with 26:30 left in the contest.

Bettendorf scored with 10 minutes left, but it was too little and too late.

Some teams would have collapsed with a three-game losing streak to end the regular season. Instead, the Cougars fought back.

"I think we've always had the potential to do it," said Dickerman, a senior who played for Kennedy's state champs in 2012. "I think our chemistry is there. We have the mentality that even if we get down and lose a couple of games, we're still going to go out and play as hard as we can. And I think that's really helped."

Scott Myers succeeded Andrew McKnight as head coach in mid-season when McKnight left for training at the police academy. Myers said he's turned the team loose in the postseason.

"We've given them the freedom in the postseason to play and do whatever they want," he said. "They've taken the things we've given them, and they've added their own little twist to it. We trust them that they know what they're doing.

"I think that's been the key. Being positive and giving them the freedom to have fun. We've said it every day: Just have fun. Whatever you do today, just have fun."

Langhurst, a defender who missed several weeks with a bad ankle, has been one of the beneficiaries. She's been given the freedom to roam the field and scored her first goal of the season following a long rush up the field to beat Linn-Mar.

She scored her second goal of the season in the state tournament, giving her two goals in two straight games against the No.1 and No.2 teams in the rankings.

"I was told to take chances, get up the field when I can," said Langhurst.

The Cougars said the coaching change from McKnight to Myers was pretty smooth. Myers had been one of Kennedy's assistant coaches and knew the club.

"It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be," said Langhurst. "Yeah, we miss McKnight. He's a good coach. But Scott came in and he filled the job really well.

Dickerman was surprised by the coaching change.

"I think we've all been able to adapt to what happened," she said. "They're both great coaches, great people and we've been able to do well with both. They expect the same out of us."

Myers has enjoyed the ride.

"It's been fun. I've loved it," he said. "They're good kids. They're emotionally sound."